FC Cincinnati downs Lou City, earns Columbus Crew SC date

FC Cincinnati defeats Louisville City FC 1-0 win in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game, Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at Nippert Stadium. With the win, FC Cincinnati advances to play MLS side Columbus Crew.
The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati celebrates the 1-0 win after Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium.(Photo: The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)

The loudest roar from the crowd during Futbol Club Cincinnati's third-round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against Louisville City FC came after the final whistle.

The Nippert Stadium public address speakers bellowed out details of FC Cincinnati's upcoming fourth-round U.S. Open Cup match against Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew SC.

At that moment, the 6,519 in attendance roared the roar of a throng twice its size, all for a dream date with an in-state rival FC Cincinnati's never actually played but with whom they've shared an affinity for MLS since the club's inception.

FC Cincinnati booted arch-rival Louisville City FC out of the Open Cup with a 1-0 victory Wednesday at Nippert. The win set in motion a two-week-long build-up to the match with Columbus, one of the original MLS franchises, but also stands as a singular moment in FC Cincinnati's 2017 season.

“The guys are ecstatic, the club is ecstatic and the fans are ecstatic after today’s win against Louisville FC,” FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch said afterward. “We’re thrilled to host the Columbus Crew in the next round. This game is very, very unique. You ride the waves at times and we’re going to keep going with it. We’re still a young club, but it’s obvious as to where our club wants to go in the future but we’re looking forward to hosting the Crew in the coming weeks.”

Djiby chested the ball on goal off a corner kick and was denied by a narrow margin. He gathered the resulting loose ball and blasted it into the back of the net.

Djiby then enjoyed a prolonged celebration and was helped back to his side of the field by match official Brandon Artis before play restarted.

The goal made Djiby the club's leading scorer in U.S. Open Cup play (2). He now has eight goals in eight games across all competitions in 2017.

From there, FC Cincinnati mostly made tidy work of closing out the game. Cincinnati goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt was pressed into three saves in recording his second shutout in two matches.

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FC Cincinnati knocked rival Louisville City FC out of the U.S. Open Cup May 31 via a 1-0 win at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium.
The Enquirer/Patrick Brennan

In keeping with the recent history of the rivalry, which Cincinnati now leads 2-1-2, there was a dustup after the game.

When the rival coaching staffs attempted to shake hands, Koch appeared to have his arm jerked back by Louisville head coach James O'Connor. An apparent argument then ensued and a Louisville coach refused to shake Koch's hand.

Both coaches played down the incident in their post-match remarks. Koch said there was "no physical contact. Shook hands. That was it."

"There are moments in the game where everyone should respect the game," Koch said. "The assistant coach didn't want to shake my hand, but he eventually shook my hand. Everything's fine. We're all squared."

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FC Cincinnati defender Justin Hoyte (32) dribbles the ball on a break away in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch talks to the linesman in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Djiby Fall (9) traps the ball in the second half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt (1) outlets the ball in the second half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Djiby Fall (9) acknowledges the fans as he is substituted out of the game in the second half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Danni Konig (11) traps the ball in the second half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Danni Konig (11) goes up for a challenge in the second half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Andrew Wiedeman (23) takes a shot on goal as Louisville City FC Paco Craig (18) defends in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Jimmy McLaughlin (20), right, and Louisville City FC defender Kyle Smith (24) battle for possession of the ball in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati, Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Djiby Fall (9), center, takes a shot on goal in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Kadeem Dacres (7), left, traps the ball as Louisville City FC midfielder Oscar Jimenez (19) defends in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati Kadeem Dacres (7) brings down a pass as Louisville City FC midfielder Guy Abend (8) defends in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati defender Harrison Delbridge (4), center, is challenged by Louisville City FC midfielders Niall McCabe (11), left, and Brian Ownby (10), right, in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati midfielder Aodhan Quinn (5), background, tackles midfielder Niall McCabe (11) from behind in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati midfielder Corben Bone (19) goes up for a header in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

FC Cincinnati forward Kadeem Dacres (7) is tackled from behind by Louisville City FC midfielder Guy Abend (8) in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

Louisville City FC midfielder Paolo Delpiccolo (36), left, is restrained by the referee as he exchanges words with FC Cincinnati forward Djiby Fall (9) in the first half during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati Wednesday at Nippert Stadium. The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar

It was clear before a ball was kicked in the match that the game could get heated. Both teams indicated they were fully invested in the non-league contest based on their lineup selections.

FC Cincinnati deployed a starting lineup that featured just three changes from its Saturday league win over Toronto FC II.

One of those changes was the addition of Djiby. Another was the insertion of former Premier League defender Justin Hoyte after his weeks-long battle with a hamstring injury.

In sum, FC Cincinnati's lineup featured 82 combined starts and 92 total appearances in 2017 league play.

Louisville City's starting lineup was also robust, and featured mostly regular starters.

"It's a big game. We're playing at home. We're obviously playing a local rival," Koch said when asked about his lineup selections. "They went all-in, too. It's pretty obvious both groups had the same focus."

The match was evenly played. Louisville came out fast despite an 11-day layoff from competitive matches. They scarcely threatened Hildebrandt's net late in the match, however.

FC Cincinnati was comparatively slow out of the gate, but had the better of the chances throughout the game even as Louisville maintained about 53 percent of the possession.

With Hoyte on the field and previously-injured Kenney Walker dressed for the match, FC Cincinnati was as healthy as it's been all year.

Despite some moving parts as a result of Djiby's suspension and the players returning from injury, the side showed flashes of the team that was promised to fans in the offseason.

Cincinnati is on a four-game winning streak with two wins apiece in the USL and the Open Cup.

"That was a very, very delicate chess match we went through throughout the course of the 90 minutes," Koch said. "I think we, thankfully, as a group, managed the moments very, very well... I think we'll take a lot of confidence as a group."

FC Cincinnati will play Crew SC June 14 at Nippert Stadium. The forthcoming "Ohio derby" as some are calling it started collecting attention and momentum shortly after FC Cincinnati's victory.